1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an adaptive vehicle control system that provides driver skill recognition and, more particularly, to an adaptive vehicle control system that provides driver assistance by classifying driving skill based on highway on/off ramp maneuvers. 2. Discussion of the Related Art
Driver assistance systems and vehicle active safety systems are becoming an integral part of vehicle design and development as an attempt to reduce driving stress and enhance vehicle/roadway safety. For example, adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems are known to relieve drivers from routine longitudinal vehicle control by keeping the vehicle a safe distance away from a preceding vehicle. Also, lane departure warning systems are known to alert the vehicle driver whenever the vehicle tends to depart from the traveling lane.
These systems employ various sensors and detectors that monitor vehicle parameters, and controllers that control vehicle systems, such as active front and rear wheel steering and differential braking. Although such systems have the potential to enhance driver comfort and safety, their success depends not only on their reliability, but also on driver acceptance. For example, considering an ACC system, studies have shown that although shortening headway distances between vehicles can increase traffic flow, it can also cause stress to some drivers because of the proximity to a preceding vehicle. Therefore, it may be desirable to enhance such systems by adapting the vehicle control in response to a driver's driving skill to meet the needs of different drivers.
Although modeling of human-machine interacting dynamic behavior has been for a few decades primarily in the field of fighter pilot modeling, modeling of driver behavior is relatively new. Modeling of driver behavior is typically focused on modeling of an ideal driver, similar to the context of a well-trained fighter pilot possessing high maneuvering skills.
While the state-of-art characterization of driving skill using a comprehensive model proves to be feasible, for off-line simulation and controller design and refinement, it does not provide a high level of confidence particularly in response to various types of driving environment and scenarios, required for vehicle control adaptation. Apparently there are more of the driver's attributes than simply the time factor of driving skill that can effectively determine the classification of driving skill.